THE BCH ARCHIVE

LOCAL HISTORY FOR

BIRTSMORTON

CASTLEMORTON

HOLLYBUSH

And The Surrounding District

TITHE MAPS

Every householder had to pay his offerings at Easter 2d and for his wife 2d. And for every son or daughter of his family being of the age of 16 years to receive the Sacrament, 2. Every Man Servant in the Parish to pay his offerings 6d. Every Maid Servant 4d. Every Bachelor (if a Tradesman) 6d. Every Householder for Smoke, 1d, for his garden 1d. For milk or white of each Cow 1d. For Calves one at ten and one at 3 weeks old if fit to be taken from the Dam.

For the Fall of every Calf under seven 3d. If sold the tenth shilling, if killed by the owner the left shoulder to be paid. And if above ten Calves and under twenty then to pay 3d per Calf for the odds, or let them go on towards the next year. For lambs one at ten and one at seven at Hollowry day if fit to be taken from the Dam &c as for CalvesFor Pigs one at ten and one at seven at 18 days old (unless demanded before) but if one at 7 be first paid, then not to pay any more till they Come to thirteen. For Geese one at ten and one at seven to be paid between Midsummer and Michaelmas, and not Iwo under Twenty. For Bees the tenth of the Honey if taken and the tenth of the price if sold. For Pigeons the tenth of such as are taken. For Mills the tenth of the Toll. For the Fall of every Colt two pence. For Eggs 8 for a Cock and 2 for a Hen. The like for Ducks; Turkeys, &c. For Coneys and Fish the tenth of such as are sold. For Rids one at ten and one at seven to be paid when they may be weaned and will live without the Dam. For Wool the tenth Fleece and the tenth part if less than ten Fleeces. For every Score of Sheep sold before the third of May l0d, And after the 6th of May and before Sheer day Is. 8d. For every Score of Sheep of an out Parishioner depastured in the Parish 30 days and taken away before Sheer day Is. 8d. Sheep bought in another Parish, and Shorn in this shall pay the full Tithe in kine unless they have paid it Elsewhere. If a Flock of Sheep dye of the Rot, Tithe wool shall be paid.  For Herbage the tenth of the Rent of the Ground if an out Parishioner rent it. And the same to be paid by an in Parishioner if he tack a Ground or grass it with Cattle unprofitable to the Vicar. For all Apples and Crabs the tenth Bushel. And likewise the tenth Bushel of all Wardens, Black-pears, Green-pears, Copheads, and all other Pears whatsoever that shall be gathered and sold at Market or kept in the house for Winter. For Perry three half pence per Hogshead. For Hemp, Flax, Mast, Rape, Woad, Plants, Turnips &c the tenth to be paid when they are gathered or Pulled. For Hop-yards the tenth when the Hop are Pulled. For Cherry Orchards, Vine Yards &c the tenth of what they are sold for. In Tithing of Calves y« tenth as it falleth.  For Lambs, Pigs, Geese &c., the Owner Choseth two and the Vicar the third, and afterwards the owner 9 and the Vicar the 10th. For all Manner of sylva coedua or Copice wood the tenth to be paid by the Pole or Perch, or every tenth fagot or Billet. For all Lop-wood the tenth of what it is sold for. For every Wedding by Banns 2s. 6d. By Licence 5s. whither Man or Woman live out of the Parish. Every Householder dying worth ten marks shall pay for a Mortuary 3s. 4d. If worth 80 then 6s. 8d. If worth £40 and upwards then 10s. Every Parishioner for burying in the Church shall pay 6s. 8d. Every one not a Parishioner for burying in the Church yard shall pay 3s. 4d. And none to drive on Tithes any longer than an Even reckoning to be made once every Year.

The Reliquary Archaeological Journal & Review, 1876-77.

A tithe, or a tenth part of income, was originally to pay for the parish priest.

There were three kinds of tithes:

     Predial Tithes – the product of the soil

     Personal Tithes – the profits of handicrafts or selling merchandise

     Mixed Tithes – the produce of animals in including butter and eggs

The Tithe Commutation Act of 1836 replaced tithes with an annual rent charge – based on the assumption that a certain number of bushels of corn were worth £100

In 1936, the rent charge was abolished and landowners were compensated with Government Stock. Tenants were required to pay a contribution towards the redemption annuity for 60 years, but this was far less than the former tithe rent.

The Finance Act of 1977 terminated the scheme.

The 1839 Tithe Map for Castlemorton is held on CD at The Hive, Worcester. A traced outline of named fields was produced by a volunteer, as well as a transcription of the Tithe Award from 1839 as an Excel Spreadsheet.

A copy of the spreadsheet was amended by David Smallwood to correct spelling errors and add grid locations for all the fields (A-X horizontally and 1-15 vertically). The modern names of houses have been added in italic (or ‘None’ if the house no longer exists) and the word ‘House’ added in the Usage column to designate dwellings.

Meaning of certain words:

Barton          Farmyard

Leasow     Meadow Pasture

Tenement     Multi Occupation

Collecting Tithes

In 1714, Tithes were due to the curate, William Need, by virtue of a lease granted to him by Mr John brown, Vicar of Longdon: